Laughter Lines
by Joie23
Summary: AU: Ziva David meets Anthony DiNozzo Jr. at dawn on a Sunday and the Earth stands still as it always does when soulmates finally cross paths until the moment one of them says yes. The true spinning begins only afterwards.


_**Italics are flashbacks. Enjoy :)**_

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Nobdy knows she cries the night before her wedding day. In the morning her eyes are red and she is tired and perhaps her mother does whisper she _wishes things could have been different_ in her ear, but her secret is still safe. The make – up artist does wonders with the circles under her eyes and she is already an expert in concealing the ones in her soul. She is a blushing bride and almost everybody confirms it to her smiling face after the ceremony. Her mother doesn't tell a word about her appearance and she realizes she is not alone in sorrow and mothers really are walking Angels.

_She cannot explain what draws her to this man she sees standing in the middle of the street when she exits her building to begin her usual morning run. _

_''You are standing in the middle of the street.''_

_''I am.''_

_''Why?''_

_''Waiting.''_

_''For what?''_

_''You.''_

_''Are you...''_

_''What?''_

_''_Crazy_?''_

_''Some would describe me like that, yes.''_

_''How would you describe you?''_

_''Patient.''_

_''You should move.''_

_''Will you move with me?''_

_Ziva David meets Anthony DiNozzo Jr. at dawn on a Sunday and the Earth stands still as it always does when soulmates finally cross paths until the moment one of them says _yes_. The true spinning begins only afterwards. _

Her new husband is a good man, she cannot deny the fact. He comes from a good Jewish family. He is also a faithful servant to Israel, something that is important to her family whose ancestors shed blood for their country and never asked for anything in return. He tells her he loves every chance he gets and promises it will be his sole mission to make her happy for the rest of his days.

_She cannot stop laughing with this man she met only two days ago and it makes her wonder what is it exactly that makes him so wonderful._

_''Tell me a secret, Anthony.''_

_''Tony, call me Tony.''_

_''I like Anthony better, _Anthony_.''_

_''It's quite a long name, Zee – vah. Takes time to say it.''_

_''Do not worry about time, Anthony.''_

_''You make the little hairs on my neck curl when you look at me like that.''_

_''Only the ones on your neck?''_

_''Okay, all my hairs curl just by looking at you.''_

_''Is that a classic DiNozzo compliment?''_

_''It's a secret. Your turn.''_

_''Nobody ever made me laugh as much as you do, _Tony_.''_

The wedding day itself passes on as if it is written by an award winning Hollywood screenwriter. Her parents beach house's backyard acts as a big dancing floor and is illuminated by little lights hanging from the trees. The food satisfies even the most sensitive of palates and the music is happy and joyful as it should be for a wedding. Summer breeze brings the comfort of the sea even closer and it is so easy to keep dancing throughout the night. Everything is perfect.

_She marries this man she met only four months ago and it makes her wonder just how he manages to make each new day so wonderful. _

_''I attended a wedding once where either the bride or the groom would be kissed by the guests whenever the other newlywed would leave the room.'' _

_''That is a strange custom.''_

_''Yeah, I guess it is. I had fun kissing the bride, though.''_

_''You would.''_

_''But not as much as I have now. It's a win – win for Tony, really.''_

_''I was never at a wedding before.''_

_''_What_?''_

_''Ours is the first experience I have with weddings.''_

_''You're messing with me, right?''_

_''Why is that a problem, Tony?''_

_''Because... We eloped.''_

_''So?''_

_''It's not even a real wedding, Zee – vah.''_

_''I am wearing a white dress and you're wearing a suit. We exchanged rings. We are dancing, yes?''_

_''Yeah, but it-''_

_''It _is_ a real wedding to me, Tony. I do not need flowers and cakes and gifts. We are dancing and I am happy.''_

_''Are you?''_

_''Yes.''_

_''I'm so glad you agreed to move with me, Zi.''_

When the feast is over and the guests are gone, there stay plates to clean and needs to please. She is alone with her new husband for the first time since they met and he is nothing if not a gentleman. He tells her they should just sleep and not to worry about plates or needs. But she knows she must do her duty and so she cleans all of the plates and makes sure her husband's needs are pleased. After, when everything is finally done, she feels relief because 'sooner' and 'later' are the only choices she is given to make by herself.

_She learns being married to this man for five whole years means the honeymoon is never over and it makes her wonder just how he manages to make her feel so wonderful. _

_''What you doing, Mrs. DiNozzo?''_

_''Making dinner. You?''_

_''I'm just leaving, the Boss finally got tired of my whining. Gonna be home in twenty.''_

_''Be careful, yes?''_

_''Always am, Zi. Wanna go out tonight?''_

_''You are not tired?''_

_''For you? Never, sweetcheeks.''_

_''What did you have in mind?''_

_''Dancing until our feet fall off and then walking home and some kissing in between.''_

_''Yes, please.''_

_''Alright, it's a date.''_

_''I love you, Tony.''_

_''Love you, too, Mrs. DiNozzo.''_

On the seventh night following the wedding celebration, her parents host a dinner for the newlyweds's one week anniversary. Her father makes a toast and says he is _very proud of his daughter's recent choices_ and how he _hopes he'll be a grandfather soon_ and the guests applaude him for a long time. Before she leaves to her new home with her new husband, her mother pulls her into her arms and whispers she'd _give her life to see her smile again_ in her ear. But it is clear to both mother and daughter that the latter will never laugh again and some words are at times best left unspoken.

_She knows this man of hers is gone when he does not come home and it makes her wonder how she ever thought life would be kind and wonderful to a woman like her._

_''Ziver.''_

_''What happened?''_

_''I'm sorry, Ziva.''_

_''Gibbs, where is my husband?''_

_''_He's gone_.'' _

_Ziva David loses Anthony DiNozzo Jr. at dawn on a Sunday and the Earth stands still as it always does when soulmates are parted and it does not start spinning until the moment they cross paths again in another world or another life._

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**Thoughts? **


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